The capital of Italy is situated in the middle of the country, separating the north and south. Rome is the home of many fascinating historical monuments and buildings, which are only fitting to what was once the seat of a great empire.
The Pantheon
One of the oldest building still standing, this impressive piece of architecture dates back probably to 27 BC. Although no one knows its exact age, it is thought to have originally been re-built under the rule of Emperor Hadrian around the year 125 AD. Commonly referred to as ‘the temple of the gods’ Michelangelo is said to have described it as’ of angelic and not human design’. Its diameter is the same as its height (43m) finishing with a dome with a hole in its centre through which the sunlight pours through to light up the dark interior. The building has undergone many forms, uses and adaptations during Ancient, Medieval and Renaissance times, but it’s magnificent sense of engineering expertise of the time remains true today.
The Trevi Fountain (Fontana di Trevi)
An unexpected find in the intricate web of small streets in the centre of the city is a huge fountain built on the back of a Renaissance palace. The fountain was originally commissioned from Bernini in the 17th century but it never came to fruition until in 1732 the Pope of the time picked up the plans and commissioned Nicola Salvi. The baroque creation we see today took almost thirty years to complete and was finally finished in1762. The fountain sits at the end of an aquaduct, whose source begins 20km outside of Rome and provides water to all of the fountains within the city. Neptune, the God of Sea provides the focus for the piece. He is flanked by two sea horses, which are intended to represent the erratic moods of the sea through their poses.
The Coliseum
Perhaps one of the more famous historical landmarks of Rome, the coliseum is a vast ancient monument, which is impossible to capture visually in its entirety. It was originally called the Flavian Amphitheatre (named after the founder of the Flavian dynasty who commissioned it) and work on its construction started in 72 AD and completed within a relatively short time-scale given the enormity of the project, 8 years later. The stadium measures 188m by 156m and stands more than 48m high. Built to cater for in excess of 50,000 spectators with over 80 entrances, they were allocated seats based on their status in society. The stadium has been famous for holding games to entertain the public including gladiatorial contests. In order to protect the spectators from the sun an enormous awning was made to cover the Coliseum installed by 1,000 men. The stadium was also capable of being flooded to stage naval battles and also held theatrical and animal acts.
References
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